As demand increases for varying types of applications within mobile telecommunications networks, service providers constantly upgrade their systems in order to reliably provide an expanded functionality. What was once a system designed simply for voice communication has grown into an all-purpose network access point, providing access to a myriad of applications including text messaging, multimedia streaming, and general Internet access. In order to support such applications, providers have built new networks on top of their existing voice networks. As seen in second and third generation networks, voice services must be carried over dedicated voice channels and directed toward a circuit-switched core, while other service communications are transmitted according to the internet protocol (IP) and directed toward a different, packet-switched core. This led to unique problems regarding application provision, metering and charging, and quality of experience (QoE) assurance.
In an effort to simplify the dual core approach of the second and third generations, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has recommended a new network scheme it terms “long term evolution” (LTE). In an LTE network, all communications are carried over an IP channel from user equipment (UE) to an all IP core called the packet core (PC). The PC then provides gateway access to other networks while ensuring an acceptable QoE and charging a subscriber for their particular network activity.
The 3GPP generally describes the components of the PC and their interactions with each other in a number of technical specifications. Specifically, 3GPP TS 29.212, 3GPP TS 29.213, and 3GPP TS 29.214 describe the policy and charging rules function (PCRF), policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), and bearer binding and event reporting function (BBERF) of the PC. These specifications further provide some guidance as to how these elements interact in order to provide reliable data services and charge subscribers for use thereof.
For example, 3GPP TS 29.212, 3GPP TS 29.213, and 3GPP TS 29.214 provide some guidance on the establishment of an application session by the PC upon receipt of an application request from an application function (AF) in the form of an AA-Request (AAR) message or from a packet data network gateway (PGW) in the form of a Credit Control Request (CCR) message. The standards specify that a single application request may be defined by both an AAR and a CCR.
The 3GPP standards do not, however, describe how the PCRF should ensure that, when an application request is to be based on multiple requests, the resulting PCC and QoS rules are in fact based on the full application request. Without such functionality, incomplete, malformed, or otherwise inappropriate rules may be installed, thus wasting system resources and providing improper functionality to users.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a method for ensuring that PCC rules are properly formed. In particular, it would be desirable to ensure that PCC rules in force are based on all relevant and/or required messages defining the associated application request.